Avengers Academy #28Review

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The Avengers battle the Runaways in the distant past.

By Jesse Schedeen

Avengers Academy #28 is a bittersweet read. It wraps up a short but enjoyable story arc, yet it also marks the last time we'll be seeing the Runaways for the foreseeable future. Christos Gage once again does excellent work with both his usual cast of teen heroes and the members of the Runaways, with plenty of memorable moments that illustrate the goofy similarities between the two groups.

Issue #28 highlights Gage's ability to blend lighthearted, even goofy elements with more dramatic means of storytelling. There's nothing particularly dark about the battle between the two teams, and the fight winds up petering out almost as soon as it begins. The fact that Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur spend the entire issue observing the fracas does nothing to diminish the humorous tone of the story. The method Hank Pym chooses to diffuse the tension is hokey, but effective. It's the rare sort of comic that can embrace silly plot twists and humor and yet deal frankly with issues like homosexuality and child abuse.

Karl Moline's art is decent enough, but it never serves the story as well as it could. The line work in general is looser and more scratchy than past Runaways artists, but the main problem is Moline's facial work. Characters seem to default to a bored, listless expression, and even more dramatic panels never really capture the emotion in the dialogue.

If Avengers Academy #27 didn't prove Gage should be writing a Runaways book, issue #28 cements the idea. We've gone far too long without a steady dose of these characters, and it's high time Marvel gave them another shot.

Jesse has been a writer for IGN Comics since House of M was the big craze in the comic community. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.